'Fear is not freedom': Centenarian shreds Florida book bans as Nazi behavior

Martin County, Florida shocked its community on Tuesday night when it stripped almost a hundred books from school library shelves.

"The removal comes after new state requirements were passed in January that allow community members to challenge books," CBS 12 reported. Although parents and educators implored the school board to resist the changes, it "didn't take any action to return any books or reconsider their removal," WPTV noted.

One voice that stood out among the local opposition during the school board meeting was a centenarian whose husband gave his life fighting the Nazis.

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In a powerful three-minute speech, the fallen veteran's widow warned of the dangerous path that accompanies book bans and touched upon the historical parallels that are emerging:

Good afternoon folks. I am Grace Lynn. I am a hundred years young. I'm here to protest our school district's book-banning policy. My husband Robert Nichol, was killed in action in World War II, at a very young age, he was only 26, defending our democracy, constitution, and freedoms. One of the freedoms that the Nazis crushed was the freedom to read the books they banned. They stopped the free press, banned and burned books. The freedom to read, which is protected by the First Amendment, is our essential right and duty of our democracy. Even so, it is continually under attack by both the public and private groups who think they hold the truth.

In response to the book banning throughout our country and Martin County last year, during the time I was 99, I have created this quilt to remind all of us that these few of so many more books that are banned or targeted need to be proudly displayed and protected and read if you choose to.

The quilt was shown on national TV as part of Ali Velshi's 'Banned Book Club' segment. Banned books, and burning books, are the same. Both are done for the same reason: fear of knowledge. Fear is not freedom. Fear is not liberty. Fear is control. My husband died as a father of freedom. I am a mother of liberty. Banned books need to be proudly displayed and protected from school boards like this. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Watch below or at this link.

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